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I was an anti-aircraft look out on the bridge on HMS Gloucester, I went to answer the call of nature and as I got to the deck below, a bomb hit the bridge and everyone was killed. I was caught in the blast on the deck below and was injured on my face. I had what was called a ‘hurt certificate’ and was put in the sick bay on board. But if I hadn’t needed the loo I wouldn’t be here now!

Another incident I recall was rushing to the lookout position, going up the ladder, with bits of furniture, books and pictures were getting thrown out of the dept and someone shouting, ‘Get the hell out of here — there’s an unexploded bomb!’. The bomb was got out and taken to the upper deck and as a few men pushed it over the side, the ship rolled the other way and the bomb rolled on top of them. They eventually picked it up again and threw it over the side.

After that incident I was transferred to what was known as a ‘loading number’ on the anti aircraft guns. We were 3 to each gun. Loading shells of 56lb in weight each shell and firing 8/10 rounds a minute.

In early May 1941 I was drafted from HMS Gloucester to the western desert on my way to Tobruck to form a harbour handling party, off loading stores for the army. I never saw Tobruck as Germany advanced and we were sent back to Alexandra. About 2 weeks later HMS Gloucester was sunk in the Battle of Crete. There were only 84 survivors from a crew of 800. A few survivors were in the water all night and were picked up by the Germans the next morning. Our Navy never went back for survivors, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ made a film called ‘The Untold Story’ about the survivors’ stories. There’s also a book of the same name by Ken Otter who is the son of one of the men who lost his life.

After returning home in November 1941 I had 6 weeks leave then returned to RN Barracks at Devonport — HMS Drake _ which was a dry barrack. I qualified for range Taker and passed for leading seaman and was drafted to HMS Bermuda which had just been finished being built in Clydebank, Scotland. Bermuda escorted two Russian convoys and relieved the Norwegian Garrison at Spitzbergen. They went back to the Mediterranean for the North African Landings, returning to the UK 6 months later. We escorted convoys across the Bay of Biscet to the Med. I then passed for Petty Officer and again drafted. This time to HMS Newfoundland, preparing for the Pacific Fleet. We took part in actions in the Pacific and was present in Tokyo Bay at the surrender of the Japanese. That was our final victory.

See also picture A6786372 and A6786903

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Jacci Phillips of the CSV Action Desk at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Hereford and Worcester on behalf of John Smith and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

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